Press Releases
Udall: Islamic State must be Stopped, and President Must Make his Case to Congress
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the president's speech on the Islamic State: "The Islamic State is a brutal terrorist group, and it must be stopped. We have a responsibility to continue to work with local groups and our allies in the region for as long as it takes, using strategic force to stop ISIS from continuing on its murderous path. But calls for more and more direct U.S. military intervention the Middle East put us back on a very risky course. … Continue Reading
September 10, 2014
Udall Warns Utility Consumers about Scam During Service Outages
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, which oversees and funds the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), warned New Mexicans about scams directed at utility customers. The FTC recently issued a consumer alert about scammers who claim to work for a utility company and seek cash payment for reconnecting service during power outages caused by severe weather or other events. The scammer may dress in a … Continue Reading
September 08, 2014
Udall Speaks on Senate Floor about Need to Rein in the Influence of Big Money on Elections
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, an outspoken critic of the U.S. Supreme Court's controversial Citizens United and McCutcheon decisions, spoke on the U.S. Senate floor in advance of a historic vote on his constitutional amendment, S.J.Res 19. Udall introduced his constitutional amendment last June to make it clear in the Constitution that Congress and the states have the authority to regulate campaign finance. A final vote is expected later this week. Below are his remarks as prepared… Continue Reading
September 08, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Encourage Eligible Livestock Producers to Apply for Disaster Assistance Before Oct. 1
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich encouraged livestock producers who have suffered eligible disaster-related losses to apply for disaster assistance prior to Oct. 1, 2014, to ensure they receive the most possible financial assistance. Udall and Heinrich fought for retroactive disaster assistance funding for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) in the 2014 Farm Bill to provide payments to New Mexico livestock producers who suffered grazing losses due to drough… Continue Reading
September 05, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Encourage Outstanding New Mexico High School Students to Apply for United States Senate Youth Program
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced the beginning of the statewide application process for the highly competitive United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), and encouraged outstanding New Mexico high school juniors and seniors to apply. Two New Mexico students will be selected as delegates to the 53rd annual Washington Week program. They will join 102 student delegates from around the country on an all expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., from March 7 - … Continue Reading
September 03, 2014
Udall Announces Award to Increase New Mexico Small Business Exports
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, who oversees the Small Business Administration (SBA) as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, announced that the New Mexico Economic Development Department Division of International Trade has been selected for an award through the SBA's State Trade Export Promotion (STEP) Program to help small businesses enter and succeed in the international marketplace. The division will receive $197,500 in fede… Continue Reading
September 02, 2014
Udall Announces $2 Million Grant for New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall announced that the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services has been selected to participate in a new pilot program to help better serve rural veterans. The department will receive $2 million in federal grants to increase access to health care and benefits for veterans and their families living in rural and underserved New Mexico communities. The N.M. Department of Veterans' Services was one of five entities selected nationally for the Rural Veterans… Continue Reading
August 28, 2014
Working Together, Moving Forward Together for Our Economy
Working to do what's right for New Mexico's economy is my top priority in the U.S. Senate. I've been partnering with people across the state to develop a shared vision for a strong private-sector economy. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am able to take ideas from New Mexico innovators straight to Washington and promote policies that support long-term economic growth. Whether it's working with small businesses to draft legislation that help new startups, like ATA in Albuquer… Continue Reading
August 27, 2014
Udall Announces Funding to Help Deming Winery Expand Operations
DEMING, N.M. - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development, visited the St. Clair Winery in Deming and announced a $50,000 grant to help expand production of its Hatch chile-infused wines and support New Mexico's agricultural industry, which is creating jobs in Luna County. The funding will help the winery to boost revenues and grow its customer base for its chile-infusted line of wines by reimbursing production, marketin… Continue Reading
August 26, 2014
Udall Endorses Bipartisan Bill to Give Child-Serving Organizations Access to Federal Background Checks of New Employees and Volunteers
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall announced that he is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation that would enable children's groups, summer camps, and other youth-serving non-profit associations to gain access to federal criminal background checks on new employees and volunteers. He discussed the legislation yesterday during a visit with the Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails in Albuquerque. Under current law, organizations like the Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails lack access to the F… Continue Reading
August 25, 2014
Udall, Durbin Visit Sandia National Laboratories, Discuss Tech Transfer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall visited Sandia National Laboratories with fellow U.S. Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois to discuss ways to support New Mexico's national labs and promote technology transfer to create new well-paying jobs. Udall welcomed Senator Durbin, who chairs the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, to receive an update on Sandia's work on the B61 Life Extension Project. Senator Udall has fought to maintain adequate funding for this and other important prog… Continue Reading
August 21, 2014
Udall Urges CFPB, FTC to Protect Service Members from Abusive Loan Contracts
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall announced that he and several colleagues sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, urging them to close a loophole in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) that leaves service members vulnerable to abusive loan contracts. The letter follows a ProPublica report on USA Discounters, a business that appears to be using an FDCPA loophole to sue t… Continue Reading
August 20, 2014
Udall Welcomes Secretarial Order Affirming American Indian Trust Responsibilities
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall welcomed news that Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has issued a Secretarial Order reaffirming the department's trust responsibilities to federally recognized Indian tribes and individual Indian beneficiaries. The order also provides guidance for Interior agencies in carrying out their obligations. According to the department, the Secretarial Order provides seven principles that apply to all Interior agencies, including supporting tribal sovereign… Continue Reading
August 18, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Announce Funding for New Mexico Space Grant Consortium's Student Launch Program
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that NASA has awarded the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium $500,000 to support the Community College Technical Schools (CCTS) Student Launch Program and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in New Mexico. The Student Launch Program, which began in 2009, enables students to create and design experiments and launch them into space from Spaceport America near Las Cruces. The program seeks to attr… Continue Reading
August 12, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Host Energy Secretary at WIPP
CARLSBAD, N.M. -- Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich joined U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant for an "all hands" employee meeting and surface tour of the site. Moniz and the senators also attended a townhall with Carlsbad residents on Monday evening. PHOTO LINK: https://flic.kr/p/oqdC9s WIPP operations have been halted since the radiation release at WIPP earlier this year. Following the release, Udall, Heinrich and Congressman Ste… Continue Reading
August 08, 2014
Udall, Heinrich, Lujan Grisham Join Interior Secretary Jewell to Announce Completion of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge
ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham stood with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to announce that a diverse group of federal, state, and local partners and conservation groups have acquired the lands needed to complete the 570-acre Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, the Southwest's first urban national wildlife refuge. PHOTO LINK: https://flic.kr/p/oDkcBM The refuge was made possible thanks to the federal Land and Water… Continue Reading
August 06, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Voice Concerns about Plan to Reduce Hours at U.S. Post Offices in New Mexico
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich sent a letter to U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe to express their concerns about the Postal Service's multi-year "Post Plan" to reduce costs and streamline operations, which may impact over 140 post offices in New Mexico. USPS announced the Post Plan in 2012 in response to financial challenges it was facing at the time, which included declining revenues and mail volume. The Post Plan cuts operating c… Continue Reading
August 04, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Receive Response from MSHA about Missed Inspections at WIPP
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced the Department of Labor has responded to their March request for an explanation detailing why the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) failed to conduct legally required regular safety inspections at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The senators asked for the information after an investigation into a February truck fire at WIPP revealed that MSHA had done only two inspections during the three years before th… Continue Reading
July 31, 2014
Udall: VA Reform Bill will Improve Care for New Mexico Veterans
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall joined the Senate in approving a bipartisan measure to reform veterans' care and begin to restore accountability and transparency at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in New Mexico and across the country. The bill, which passed by a vote of 91-3, was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this week. It now goes to the president, who is expected to sign it into law. The bill will address barriers that have led to long wait times for… Continue Reading
July 31, 2014
Udall Statement on Senate's Failure to Advance Funding to Address the Humanitarian Crisis at the Border
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement after Republicans blocked a final vote on emergency supplemental funding to address the Central American immigration crisis: "We face a humanitarian crisis at the border involving young children, and regardless of how each of us feels about whether they should be returned home or granted asylum, we have a responsibility to provide them with clean, humane housing while we make that determination. Ultimately, I believe the … Continue Reading
